Technology is prone to developing terminology that is uniquely suited to specific situations, and
technology used in administration and management is no exception. The focus of this article is
technology-based approaches that support decision making in higher education. The simplest definition of
the popular term “data-driven decision making” is the use of data analysis to inform courses of action
involving policy and procedures. Inherent in this definition is the development of reliable and timely
information resources to collect, sort, and analyze the data used in the decision making process. It is
important to note that data analysis is used to inform and does not mean to replace entirely the experience,
expertise, intuition, judgment, and acumen of competent educators. While decision making may be singly
defined as choosing between or among two or more alternatives, in a modern educational organization,
decision making is an integral component of complex management processes such as academic planning,
policy making, and budgeting. These processes evolve over time, require participation by stakeholders,
and most importantly, seek to include information which will help all those involved in the decision
process.